Donald Trump: US abortion laws ‘wrong’ and ‘have to change’

US President Donald Trump speaks live via video link to the annual "March for Life" (Getty Images)

The US President said the 'honoured and really proud' to address the March for Life

US President Donald Trump has praised the “beautiful” pro-life cause and thanked the movement for its support for pregnant women in his live remarks to the Washington March for Life.

“You come from many backgrounds, many places, but you all come for one beautiful cause: to build a society where life is celebrated, protected and cherished,” he said. “The March for Life is a movement born out of love.”

“You love every child, born and unborn, because you believe that every life is sacred, that every child is a precious gift from God,” the president added. “Because of you, tens of thousands of Americans have been born and reached their full God-given potential. Because of you.”

President Trump added that he was “honoured and really proud” the address the march, adding that the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion nationwide resulted in “some of the most permissive abortion laws anywhere in the world.” – comparable to North Korea and China.

“It is wrong, it has to change,” the president said, adding: “Americans are more and more pro-life.”

The president also gave strong support to a bill before the House of Representatives that would ban late-term abortions where the unborn child can feel pain. He called on senators to “pass this important law”.

His speech came a day after he announced a new office to safeguard the rights of medical staff who conscientiously object to procedures such as abortions and sex-change operations on religious grounds.

The office, which will be part of the Department of Health, will enforce existing laws to make sure medical institutions respect their employees’ religious beliefs.

Vice-President Mike Pence, who last year address the March of Life in person, introduced President Trump before his speech. He condemned the Roe v Wade decision, saying it “turned its back on the right to life” but also created the modern pro-life movement which is founded on “compassion and love”.

Previous presidents such as Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush and George W Bush have also addressed the March for Life, but Donald Trump is the first to do so via video link.